Appliance with built-in storage compartment



March 1965 L. R. COLLINS APPLIANCE WITH BUILT-IN STORAGE COMPARTMENT 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 7, 1963 F'lC-M INVENTOR.

LAWRENCE. R. COLLINS W1 H\5 ATTORNEY March 16, 1965 L. R. COLLINS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-.2.

INVENTOR. LAWRENCE R COLLINS H\S ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,730APPLIANCE WITH BUILT-EN 'STQRAfiE CGR'IPA'RTMENT Lawrence R. Collins,Louisville, Ky, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Filed Oct. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 324,13? 4 Claims. (Cl. 312-223)This invention relates to appliances, and more particularly toappliances having controls for determining the operation thereof andwhich further include a built-in storage compartment.

In carrying out my invention in one form thereof, I provide an appliancewherein components which cooperate to perform a useful function onarticles are disposed within a cabinet having a substantially flat topsurface, the surface having an opening formed therein for access intothe cabinet. A control panel assembly is positioned substantially abovethe top surface, and supports manually operable control means fordetermining operation of the components at the will of the operator. Thepanel assembly is supported by back and side vertical walls which extendup from the top surface behind the access opening. A door is so disposedthat it cooperates with the vertical walls to form a storage compartmentbehind the opening thereby providing effective storage utilization ofthe space between the top surface and the control panel assembly by thesame members which support the control panel assembly.

In a preferred embodiment of my invention, the con trol panel assemblyextends forward slightly from the supporting vertical walls, and a lampis disposed so as to shine down from the bottom surface joining thebottom of the panel assembly to the vertical walls. By so positioningthe panel assembly and the lamp, a substantial amount of light isprovided, both for the interior of the storage compartment and Withinthe appliance cabinet through the access opening.

The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularlypointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of thisspecification. My invention, however, both as to organization and methodof operation together with further objects and advantages thereof, maybest be understood by reference to the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partlybroken away, of an appliance (specifically a washing machine)incorporating my inventive concept; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the machine of FEGURE1.

Referring now to the figures, there is provided an appliance,specifically a washing machine 1 in this case, wherein an outer cabinet2 has a top surface 3 formed with an access opening 4 closable by a lid5. Within the cabinet there are supported the various conventionalcomponents which together provide an operative automatic washing machineas is Well known in the art.

While these are not shown in any great detail, since their particularstructure is not part of my invention, they may include a perforatedclothes-containing basket 6 mounted Within an imperforateliquid-retaining tub 7. Liquid may be provided into the tub and basketthrough a water outlet 8, and the passage of water from this outlet iscontrolled by an appropriate valve 9 having electrical controlcomponents 10. Within the basket there may be provided an appropriatewashing mechanism such as an agitator 11. It will be understood that asuitable electrical means, such as a motor and an appropriatetransmission (not shown), are provided so as to cause ice washing motionof the agitator 11 when liquid and clothes are provided within basket 6and tub 7, and so as to spin out the liquid from the clothes by highspeed rotation of basket 6.

Normally, automatic washing machines follow an automatic sequence, firstwashing the clothes and then spining wash liquid out of them, thenrinsing the clothes, and then finally spinning the rinse liquid out.After this, such machines normally shut themselves off. In order toinitiate a desired sequence of operation, such machines areconventionally provided with appropriate manual controls. In this case,the manual control is shown at 12;, and it will be seen that it isdisposed behind the access opening 4 and a substantial distance abovethe top sur face 3 for convenience. Manual member 12 may operate througha conventional sequence control mechanism 13 to control the variouselectrical components of the machine, including both those which are notshown and those which are shown such as the valve control elements Iii.

In order to support control element 12 and sequence control 13 at thedesired height above surface 3, I pro vide side supporting walls 14 and15 and a rear support ing wall 16, all extending upwardly from the flatsurface 3. The control panel assembly 17 is secured in any desiredmanner on these supports so as to be rigidly secured thereabove.Preferably, as shown, the front of the control panel assembly extendsforwardly from the main portion of the vertical wall so that there isformed a bottom surface 18. This bottom surface is formed as atransparent glass pane l9 behind which is positioned a suitable lamp 2b.In the present case, lamp 20 is of the fluorescent type, extendingsubstantially across between walls 14 and 15, although, of course,conven tional incandescent lamps could be used equally effectively.

Pane 19 is supported on part of a supporting member 21 which extendsacross between the two walls 14 and 15 and is secured thereto. Member 21also cooperates with a bottom member 22 to provide guides for a pair ofsliding doors 23. Doors 23 are so formed that they may be moved to aposition where they form an enclosing compartment 24 with walls 14, 15and 16. In this manner the supporting "Walls 14, 15 and 16 for thecontrol panel provide the additional function of forming a storagecompartment which is readily and conveniently accessible to an operatorof machine 1. In the case of a Washing machine, as illustrated, it willreadily be seen that bleaches, bluing, small boxes of detergents, andthe like, may very conveniently be stored in compartment 24. Inaddition, it will be seen that the structure provides a relationship ofparts whereby lam-p 2t illuminates the storage compartment when it isopened, and also shines directly through the access opening 4 of machine1 so as to illuminate the interior thereof. If so desired, an enclosedchannel 24a (FIGURE 2) may be provided for the passage of the necessaryelectrical conductors from the control panel 17 to the main part ofmachine 1.

The control panel assembly also includes a member 25 which is hingedlysecured at 26 on the rear wall 16. The normal position of member 25 isthat shown in solid outline in FIGURES l and 2, wherein it provides aclosure for enclosing the sequence control mechanism. In order to openmember 25 to the position shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 1, it ismerely necessary to remove the various control knobs which protrudethrough the appropriate openings in member 25. As soon as this is done,the sequence control assembly 13 and the lamp 2b are immediatelyaccessible for servicing. This is particularly desirable in the case ofthe lamp 2%? since such articles often have a normal life shorter thanthat of the appliance with which they are associated, and need to bereplaced at various times.

My invention thus provides an assembly of parts readily accessible to .aperson operating machine 1, while at the same time the supportingstructure provides storage space, and the overall relationship of theparts permits a single light source to be used both for the storagespace and for the interior of the appliance through the access openmg.While in accordance with the patent statutes 1 have described What atpresent is considered to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications may be made therein without departing from the invention,and it is therefore aimed in the appending claims to cover all suchequivalent variations as fall with in the true spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. An appliance comprising: 7

(a) a cabinet having a substantially flat top surface with an openingformed therein for access into said cabinet;

(1)) a plurality of components within said cabinet for cooperativelyproviding a useful function on articles placed in said cabinet throughsaid opening;

() manually operable control means for said components;

(d) a control panel assembly substantially above said top surfacesupporting said control means;

(e) back and side vertical Walls extending up from said top surfacebehind said opening and supporting said control panel assembly;

(1) and a door behind said opening forming a storage compartment withsaid back and side vertical walls thereby to provide effective storageutilization of the space between said top surface and said control panelassembly.

2. The appliance defined in claim 1 wherein said control panel includesan electric lamp positioned to shine downwardly thereby to provide lightboth for said compartment and for the interior of said cabinet throughsaid access opening.

3. An appliance comprising:

(a) a cabinet having a substantially flat top surface with an openingformed therein for access into said cabinet;

(b) a plurality of components in said cabinet for cooperativelyproviding a useful function on articles placed in said cabinet throughsaid opening;

(c) manually operable control means for said components;

(d) a control panel assembly substantially above said top surfacesupporting said control means;

(e) back and side vertical walls extending up from said top surfacebehind said opening and supporting said control panel assembly, saidcontrol panel assembly extending forward from said vertical walls andhaving a bottom surface joining it to the fronts of said vertical walls,said bottom surface being formed at least in part of transparentmaterial;

(f) a lamp positioned to shine through said part of transparent materialthereby to cast light downwardly;

(g) and a door behind said opening forming a storage compartment withsaid back and side vertical walls thereby to provide effective storageutilization of the space between said top surface and said control panelassembly, said lamp providing illumination both for said compartment andinto said access opening.

4. The apparatus defined and claimed in claim 3 wherein the top of saidcontrol panel is hinged-1y mounted on said vertical walls and is movablefrom an operative closed position to an open position providing accessto said light therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,381,667 8/45Jensen 312-279 X 2,609,476 9/52 Ackemann 240-5 X 2,840,435 6/58 Campbell312-279 2,867,488 1/59 Guild 312-107 2,893,807 7/59 Earle 312-2792,899,253 8/59 Jacobs 312-279 X FRANK B.-SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner.

1. AN APPLIANCE COMPRISING: (A) A CABINET HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLATTOP SURFACE WITH AN OPENING FORMED THEREIN FOR ACCESS INTO SAID CABINET;(B) A PLURALITY OF COMPONENTS WITHIN SAID CABINET FOR COOPERATIVELYPROVIDING A USEFUL FUNCTION ON ARTICLES PLACED IN SAID CABINET THROUGHSAID OPENING; (C) MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL MEANS FOR SAID COMPONENTS;(D) A CONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLY SUBSTANTIALLY ABOVE SAID TOP SURFACESUPPORTING SAID CONTROL MEANS; (E) BACK AND SIDE VERTICAL WALLSEXTENDING UP FROM SAID TOP SURFACE BEHIND SAID OPENING AND SUPPORTINGSAID CONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLY; (F) AND A DOOR BEHIND SAID OPENING FORMINGA STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH SAID BACK AND SIDE VERTICAL WALLS THEREBY TOPROVIDE EFFECTIVE STORAGE UTILIZATION OF THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID TOPSURFACE AND SAID CONTROL PANEL ASSEMBLY.